The Hib/MenC vaccine boosts your child's protection against two different diseases:
Hib and MenC infections are both serious and can both cause meningitis and septicaemia (blood poisoning).
Who should have it
The Hib/MenC is a booster vaccination given to children shortly after their first birthday (see Hib/MenC - when it is needed).
It boosts the protection your child gets from the first course of Hib vaccine when they are 8, 12 and 16 weeks old (see the Health A-Z topic about DTaP/IPV/Hib), and the MenC vaccine when they are 12 and 16 weeks (see the Health A-Z topic about MenC vaccination). This boosted immunity lasts into adulthood.
About the vaccine
The Hib/MenC vaccine is inactivated. This means it does not contain any live organisms so there is no risk of catching the diseases against which it protects.
There is no mercury (thiomersal) in Hib/MenC.
How effective is this vaccine?
The Hib/MenC booster is highly effective and protects children when they are most vulnerable to the diseases. Rates of Hib disease and MenC are now at their lowest ever levels.
